Lake by which the Elves first awoke, a combination of nen “water” and echui “awakening”, corresponding to its more commonly used Quenya name Q. Cuiviénen (SA/cuivië).
Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, this lake was first named G. Nenin a Gwivros (GL/29), but appeared as ᴱN. Cuinlimfin in the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s (LB/23). In notes associated with the Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, it became N. Nen Echui (LR/406), a name that also appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/KUY). In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, Tolkien considered using Nenechui or Echuinen as an Elvish name of Mirrormere (TI/184), but later gave that lake the Sindarin name Nen Cenedril (RS/466).
The lake where the Elves first awoke (S/48), a compound of cuivië “awakening” and nén “water” (SA/cuivië, nen).
Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, the name appeared as a plural: ᴱQ. Koivie-néni “Waters of Awakening” (LT1/85). In The Lays of Beleriand, the name was changed to singular ᴱQ. Cuiviénen (LB/23). It keep this form in most later writings, sometimes written with a “C” and sometimes with a “K”, as in ᴹQ. Kuiviénen (LR/168, Ety/KUY).